LAST year was a banner year for ALA Promotions as the Cebu-based promotional outfit staged boxing events in the Philippines, a second show in Dubai and a first in the US. This year promises to be another huge year for ALA Promotions as president Michael Aldeguer bared their busy schedule in just the first half of the year.
?It will be an exciting first half for Philippine boxing,? Aldeguer told Sun.Star Cebu.
ALA Promotions will kick off the year next month with Pinoy Pride 35 – ?Stars of the Future? on Feb. 27 at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu City, which will be headlined by unbeaten promising super bantamweight Albert Pagara along with fellow unbeaten prospects Mark Magsayo and Kevin Jake Cataraja.
The 21-year-old Pagara (25-0, 18 KOs) takes on former world champion Juan Carlos Sanchez Jr. (20-4-1, 9 KOs) in the main event. ALA is still looking for an opponent for Cataraja (2-0, 2 KOs).
On April 23, ALA Promotions will co-promote with Bob Arum?s Top Rank a huge boxing show that features World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight king Nonito Donaire Jr. in Manila. Magsayo will also be featured in the event.
The 33-year-old Donaire Jr. (36-3, 23 KOs) will defend his title possibly against former International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight titleholder Evgeny Gradovich (20-1-1, 9 KOs).
After that, ALA Promotions will stage a big event in Cebu in May in a card that?s stacked with stars, headlined by WBO light flyweight king Donnie Nietes.
Nietes (37-1-4, 21 KOs) will have his mandatory defense in the main event that will be at the Cebu City Sports Center.
Moises Fuentes earned mandatory status after beating Francisco Rodriguez in a title eliminator. But Fuentes as of the moment isn?t locked in yet as Nietes? opponent.
?I can?t confirm that yet until we get a word from the WBO,? Aldeguer said of Fuentes as Nietes? mandatory challenger.
Also seeing action in the May card are former world title challengers Arthur Villanueva and Milan Melindo, and up-and-comer Jason Pagara.
It doesn?t stop there as ALA Promotions holds its second US event in June, which features Pagara and Magsayo.
?We are looking at San Francisco, LA or San Diego,? said Aldeguer.
